Whey protein has now become a standard among athletes hoping to increase muscle mass and improve performance. Perhaps Little Miss Muffet, who was eating whey before the spider scared her off, was doing some training as well. Whey protein is actually made during the manufacturing of cheese. It is considered a helpful nutrient for exercise training and even detoxification. There are both benefits and precautions to consider when adding whey protein into the mix.
Whey protein is used as a nutritional supplement because it is considered a rich source of amino acids - the building blocks of protein. It is thought that amino acids from whey are readily absorbed, making it a good nutrient to help build muscle after workouts. Research does seem to indicate benefit with whey for the muscles. Whey may help build muscle after workouts and may help with recovery of the muscles after exercise [Source: Tang, Buckley]. Whey protein may also help in the loss of fat. Animal studies and human research suggests better loss of fat mass and preservation of lean body mass with the use of whey [Source: Siddiqui, Frestedt]. There may be significant benefits to be had by elderly populations who are at risk for muscle loss and weakness due to decreased activity. Exercise is important at any age, and even in our later years, exercise plays a very important role in maintaining bone density and muscle strength as well as balance and coordination. Tone muscles help prevent falls that might lead to injuries such as a hip fracture. Studies have indicated that whey may be a useful tool to help maintain muscle mass in the elderly [Source: Katsanos, Hayes]. Whey may also benefit elderly patients as it comes in powder form and is easily mixed in water or in a smoothie with other healthy ingredients such as fruit. For elderly patients who don’t have the appetite for much protein, whey may be easy to ingest.
Whey is also discussed for detoxification. Whey provides several of the amino acids necessary to increase the body’s own detoxifier, glutathione. Glutathione is used throughout the body to maintain healthy cells and deal with incoming toxins. Glutathione has been used to help many conditions including Parkinson’s disease, fibromyalgia (for more common questions to expert answers on Fibromyalgia, visit Sharecare.com), autism and cystic fibrosis. In fact, whey’s effects with glutathione have some thinking it may important in cancer prevention [Source: Bounous]. Part of whey’s exercise benefits may also come from the glutathione increase, helping the body repair itself.
There are some potential downsides to whey protein supplementation. Whey is a dairy product. Those that do not tolerate dairy may not tolerate whey. Whey will typically contain some lactose, though the lactose content may vary with some forms having very small amounts. As with any dairy product, the best whey product will come from healthy cows. This means the cows should be feeding on grass. The cows should also not be given any growth hormones and ideally not antibiotics (unless truly needed). So the purchase of whey protein should be from a brand that offers a product from grass-fed cows with no hormone treatments.
Whey does have benefits with exercise training and muscle mass. The elderly may gain substantial benefit in the maintenance of muscle mass from a protein that is easy to digest. The right form of whey should be used, grass-fed cows with no hormones. Do not dive into whey supplementation if you do not tolerate dairy products. If some dairy products are a problem, such as milk, but not others start very slowly with whey to make sure it is not causing any problems such as bloating or indigestion.
